Romantically Inclined
by K Double Prime
Summary: Now that a tragedy has befallen the Vongola family, what would Hibari Kyoya do to solve the problem and make his wife, I-pin, happy again? OOC, OCs and 181-centric. Plain randomness, please read at your own risk, and then review.
1. Chapter 1

**Romantically Inclined**

Once there was a boy feared for his strength and solitude. No one ever crosses his path. No one ever defiles his beloved town.

And most of all, no one ever wakes him from his slumber.

Until one day, that he was roused from his sleep by a voice he never heard before. He slowly opened his eyes, momentarily blinded by the setting sun, that he saw the shadow of a slender figure standing below the slope where he lie.

The voice that woke him, her voice, was nothing more than a nuisance until he realized that his skin was feeling cold, his hair were standing on their ends and needles were pleasantly pricking him; all of which was giving him a chilling sensation running down his spine.

Her voice was neither cold nor warm, nor was it good or bad. She was simply singing. And had he not noticed how he was trying to put the quality of her voice into words, then he wouldn't come to light how much he liked it. That or she was simply singing the Namimori Middle School's anthem.

With all that thinking, the boy had forgotten that he was rudely awakened from his sleep. Even though she was finished and was now embarrassed to know that she had an audience, he simply sat there, wishing that he could hear more of this anthem.

She bowed her head and trudged up the embankment, hurriedly leaving without so much as turning an eye to him. He was rather surprised as well: a day had passed that he was awakened without punishing whoever did it. But it won't stop him to look for that girl and meet her once again. Maybe the next time, he would be able to put her in a cage and make her sing all day.

Every day after that fateful day, he patrolled the streets of his beloved town with another reason in his mind. He wanted to meet her; he wanted to hear her. And every day it would get stronger within him. It did not bug him because there was enough distraction, ahem low level thugs, to shave off the growing impatience.

One day, he had lost one of his beloved pet canaries. He had been searching for it, too, the same way he would search for her. Never did he know that he would see them both sitting on the window sill of the weakest guy in town. But he didn't know her by face.

His pet bird saw him but did not fly down. So he called with his hand, palm raised to catch the weary wings of the small animal. Still, it did not fly down yet he did not grow tired.

The girl, from her throne high above, finally looked down and saw him in a stance one could only imagine from reading a medieval romance book. She sang the anthem once again, without an ounce of care that somebody might pass by and see them in a very awkward scene.

It was the same voice!

The boy lowered his hand and laid eyes on her for the first time. Her hair was dark and long, kept in a single braid with a white ribbon. Her face was that of a doll's, small and beautiful. She finished her song and the canary finally flew down onto his black hair. She waved goodbye to him and, in a puff of pink smoke, disappeared.

Once there was a boy feared for his strength and solitude. No one ever crosses his path. No one ever defiles his beloved town.

But now he was a man of twenty-five years and he still quietly searches for that girl, who must be a woman now, and yearns for her anthem every waking day of his life. Never had he known that he was romantically inclined because he had thought up so many ways in which he could tell her to sing for him forever, without forcing her to live in a cage.

One day, he was patrolling around Namimori and while he was rounding a corner, he heard her again! He quickened his steps and saw the figure of a girl standing by a lamp post. He looked around, she was nowhere in sight. He must have been hearing things in his want to find her.

The young girl by the lamppost turned, "Hibari-san!" surprising him of her knowledge of his name, "P-Please have this!" and she handed him a box of chocolates, gingerly wrapped with a bow she took so much time to pick in a store, containing sweets that she took so much time to make with all her childish fancy. But before he could say anything, the girl was well away from him, maybe on the next turn?

He looked at the box, expected it a little and finally decided to eat whatever edible thing was inside. Surprisingly, the chocolates were well made; he was not disappointed. Such a gift must be repaid. On White Day.

He had brought the young girl by the lamppost a white lasso for which she could tie her long, dark hair with. But alas, he could not find her. The girl by the lamppost was like the anthem he yearned so much, elusive.

It took him a second box of Valentines chocolates to give her her reward for being unafraid of him. Her eyes shone brightly as she tied the lasso on her braided hair. Around the breadth of her braided hair. Her face was that of a doll's, small and beautiful.

"Thank you," she was about to finish it but she disappeared in a pile of smoke.

The man smirked and left, not knowing what small child replaced the beautiful girl that he so wished to see.

Once there was a boy feared for his strength and solitude. No one ever crosses his path. No one ever defiles his beloved town.

But now he was a man of twenty-five years and he still quietly searches for that girl, who must be a woman now, and yearns for her anthem every waking day of his life. Never had he known that he was romantically inclined because he had thought up so many ways in which he could tell her to sing for him forever, without forcing her to live in a cage.

But he could still be a beast that would wreak havoc when he is rudely awakened from his sleep. Just as he was now.

A voice awakened him from his slumber. He slowly opened his eyes, momentarily blinded by the setting sun, that he saw the shadow of a slender figure standing below the slope where he lie.

He did not bother to raise his head from his grassy pillow of earth. Instead he stared at the sky as the beautiful voice continued to sing his beloved anthem.

"You," he said, startling the girl and halting his precious song, "What kind of sorcery is this?" He closed his eyes.

"What?" she was still at a distance below.

Clueless as she was, he explained, "Why haven't you aged a day?"

"Hibari-san, I've got ways that I can't explain in one breath." Now she sounded a lot closer. He opened his eyes and there she was, towering over him as she squat low to the ground.

"Take your time. I feel like listening to you forever."

Never had he known that he was romantically inclined because he had thought up so many ways in which he could tell her to sing for him forever, without forcing her to live in a cage. But this wasn't one of them.

Once there was a boy feared for his strength and solitude. No one ever crosses his path. No one ever defiles his beloved town. And most of all, no one ever wakes him from his slumber.

But now he was a man of thirty-five years and he searches for that girl still. But she must be a woman by now, unless she has ways that she couldn't explain in one breath. He gently pats the bed beside him in search of something only to find a hand holding him. A voice slowly rouses him from sleep and he groggily grumbles a plea for fifteen more minutes.

"Kyo, you shouldn't keep those herbivores waiting," and with this she finally gets him awake.

"You know I don't want anyone disturbing my sleep, right?"

"What song would you like to hear today?" she cheekily escapes death, "Oh my, I sound like an alarm clock!"

"I-pin!" He pulls her under him in one fluid motion. Then he speaks with a low growl in his throat, "What about I hear you moaning today?"

"I thought you'd say something that's more romantically inclined."

"I say whatever I want to say."

"Alright." Her muscles lost their firmness, softening to his touch, losing her resistance. She was giving herself to him, like she has always done nights before. But she quickly upturns him, "The rice will burn!"

Hibari Kyoya does not mind. Because she will stay with him forever.

Besides, he is feeling rather hungry.

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I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I hope you enjoyed this one.


	2. Skylark Family: Distractions

-Distractions-

Hibari Kyoya is known for being emotionless and merciless. But ever since he married, people had come to know how much softer he got. Well… probably because he got stronger and had stronger people around him to show more leniency. His wife, I-pin, was a great acquisition. Not only was she a skilled assassin, she was also a doctor who trained as Shamal's protégé. Aside from this, many claim her as a great Oiran, being able to entertain them with different forms of art and being able to hold conversations well. And Hibari Kyoya was a pushover around her.

"Your confidence will be your downfall someday…" his wife told him as she sew his clothes in the room that overlooked their huge garden. Kyoya stood at the sliding doors as he scratched his stomach, exercising his leniency again. The Vongola had long been out of commission in Japan as Tsuna wished it but their support is still there. Nevertheless, the Hibari clan was nothing short of a standing army over Namimori. And the influx of gangs and other groups that were trying to make a name for themselves was but short work.

"Hmph." His feet shuffled over the tatami, stopping somewhere near her. From where he stood looking down at her, he sat down beside her and a few seconds later his head slumps into her lap, she, pulling whatever needlework she was doing out of the way. Looking up at I-pin, Kyoya realized that no matter what angle he looked at her, she was incredibly pretty. He sighed a breath of relief, "Great wife, great land, money, people…" and his lids slid closed; the relaxation from her massaging his scalp was no longer bearable.

"Kyo-san… if you sleep here, you'll catch a cold…" she whispered to him in between humming a beautiful song.

"Wow, if you would stop massaging and singing, that would be great," he said with great lethargy.

A few more silent moments pass between them as they stared lovingly at each other when a thundering voice from the outside hallway called their attention. Whilst I-pin gave an exasperated look, Kyoya had a smirk playing on his lips. Maybe, just maybe it would work.

Soon the source of the voice stood at the wide opening of the sliding doors, a haughty girl with hands on her hips. "MOM!" yells the angry newcomer. "Fu-nii and Kiri-nii! Give me the order to kill them both!" Stomped in the noisy and fuming girl. She had a round face similar to I-pin's and her scowling brows were from Kyoya. Aside from her pretty red face, her long, black hair was also beautiful. Her hollering died as she gawked before her parents, who were doting on each other at that moment.

"Welcome back, Orihime," her mother said after Kyoya's lips left hers.

"I'll come back later," and the young Hibari girl hurriedly left with a disgusted yet blushing face.

"Now that the distractions are gone, would you like to continue?"

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Soft and fluffy, methinks. Please leave a review.


	3. Skylark Family: Baby Names

-Baby Names-

They, Kyoya and one of his twin sons, Fujio, had been training for more than an hour now, if the older one recounts well, and he was glad that his kid was still young otherwise it will be him giving up earlier than he'd want.

Battling with a whip was not Hibari Kyoya's specialty and if it weren't for the way that his tonfas function and how exceptional they were made by Talbot, he wouldn't even lay hands on something so despicable to use. But overcoming such difficulty of use was another feat in itself and it is the only thing that allows a whip into his arsenal. However, there is a more difficult weapon to handle than the whip, more so if you're on the receiving end of the lash.

The curling sword, urumi, was a dangerous marriage between sword and whip. Its blade bends like a dancing lasso in the wind while its edge is as sharp as a razor. Although it was never one for causing mortal wounds, it can surely cut off a nose tip, ear, or slice out an eye.

And that is what Kyoya is having a dance with today. He nimbly dodges the swipes directed at him with the said weapon. Of course, he doesn't mind shallow cuts but there is somebody else who will nag him if he gets one, so he opted his kid use blunt ones. It also doesn't cut but the way it hits the skin from being spun around still hurts and leaves terrible bruises. However his kid decided to use such a weapon is beyond him and he is pretty sure that his copycat was an inspiration.

"Hey, Dad," says the happy Fujio as he wipes sweat from his forehead, "Why am I named after a flower?" Curiosity welled from the boy, the younger one of their black-haired twins, and knowing what kind of stubborn child Fujio was, even if Kyoya does postpone his answer, the kid would surely bug him to no end. Killing him is not an option. The things that I-pin could do scared him. He wasn't afraid of dying in her hands. What scared him most was if she were to leave. It would be too unbearable.

So, Kyoya gave it a thought and his brows scrunched together. He never contemplated on it, thinking of possible questions that his kids may ask someday. And now he's at a loss. He was somehow responsible for the boys' names, as such being named after flowers, but when he and his wife were thinking of names, they didn't expect it to be twins.

So when they heard that it was actually twins, they couldn't think of a replacement for Kirio. Since Kiri is written as Paulownia, the two of them went along with something similar, like Fuji for Wisteria. It was a pretty good answer now that he thought about it. But then it doesn't answer why they were named after flowers.

He finally remembers the reason after he saw I-pin smile at him as she entered. Watching her as she placed the refreshments on the low table, Kyoya let out a sigh, "Your mother loved the paulownia in our garden."

There was a big frown on his son's usually happy face; a face that looked too much like that Arcobaleno Fon. It wasn't that bad, considering that Fon and Kyoya looked like ghosts of one another. What the Tenth Cloud couldn't stomach was how happy and smiley his kid was. It was like seeing himself smile, which he would rarely do, conscious or unconscious. Also, the boy rarely trained with their so-called Grandpa, the aforementioned Arcobaleno, so having that kind of happy disposition was impossible, especially when the two of them, I-pin and he, are both, well, so-so.

I-pin would casually tell him that "Twins are like that, honey. They're mostly opposites."

That much is true. His eldest son, Kirio, is the complete opposite of the fool that he was training just now. As Fujio is lackadaisical, outgoing and jolly, Kirio was strict, reserved and cold. Just like he is. And knowing so makes his heart swell. It makes him think that it was worth having kids aside from heirs.

I-pin would often say how alike they were, he and his eldest son, and add in "You are both battle idiots" while laughing at how impassive his face would be.

Still, the young boy was disappointed, "That's for Kirio. We don't have wisteria here," his boy answers absentmindedly as they both sat at I-pin's flanks, each grabbing a glass of cool green tea, the boy quick to silence his mother, "No! Don't answer for him, Mom!" Fujio's smile was wide whilst a tint of terror fluttered by him, something Kyoya would always wonder where he got. If anything, Kyoya thinks that his second son is as sadistic as that illusionist.

He scratches roughly at his head in annoyance, "You're noisy!"

"Why!?" the boy grated on his nerves and continued to do so by repeating his question in a sing-song manner.

"Now you two settle down," says the mother, "Now, dear, just answer his question."

"I'm not a deer. I'm a carnivore," and Kyoya leans in for a kiss and gets it. Their little moment of sweetness does not pass by without their kid having a face of disgust. But since it was Fujio, who claims he has a heart unlike his siblings, his expression was crossed with amusement.

"Yes. Yes. Can you please answer his question?" If anything, Kyoya knows that I-pin just wants to hear why he agreed with the name.

"Because it can also mean peerless while KIRI could mean cut…" and the husband had a face of 'are you happy now.'

The string of why questions turned into silence thereafter. But Kyoya knew that his kid was still pondering well, readying a question that would rattle him, "Doesn't KIRI mean mist?"

I-pin could only laugh behind her hand. Even if she hides it, the curve of her eyes couldn't hide her amusement. And yes, Kyoya hates explaining why his sons are named after flowers.

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Thanks for reading this far. Please leave a review. Thanks again!


	4. Skylark Family: Their Mess

-Cleaning After Their Mess-

There are a lot of things that Hibari Kyoya hates aside from herbivores and crowds. In fact, he could list all of it and fill up ten pages of legal-sized paper on both sides and still have more to write. Especially now that he has not one, but three kids in their teens all fighting for the coveted title of being his heir. If anything, their usual rumbles for supremacy was admirable but it sometimes gets out of hand. And he's the one who has to clean up after their mess. After all, a single omnivore would eventually get hurt by energetic carnivores who lose their sanity at the simplest provocation from one another.

Getting old is also in the list of dislikes. Kyoya was already in his fifties and boy do his kids start to get stronger. A long time ago their kicks, punches and bites were nothing but play to him. But now, a stray punch could break his bones and possibly leave him unrepairable forever. Although he's been kept in shape thanks to being the Cloud and having a young wife who is extremely athletic, the excessive life of being an old oyabun hasn't gotten to him. Yet.

So there he is again, parting his twins after a bloody fight. Fujio, who usually wore a smile on his face, was the one who always provoked his older brother into fighting just so he could prove that he was better. Kirio, on the other hand, was practically sneering and hissing like an angry lion at his younger twin for trying to usurp the authority given to him as the eldest child. By their fighting, the twins shared many cuts and bruises and maybe one of them had a short sword lodged into his shoulder, bleeding him out.

Kyoya looks at his more injured son, the one who had a short sword to his shoulder, "Fujio," and the boy stiffens quickly and gives him a look of fear mixed with anger. Kyoya then looks at the other, who had not only caught a severe cut to his cheek but also a great length of his hair had scattered all over the place, "Kirio," yet the boy merely avoids his eyes and looks down in shame. Now, what was supposed to happen again, the father had no idea; he wasn't one for making up.

"Fujio, your speed and agility shouldn't have let Kirio's swords to even touch you." As he began reprimanding the boys, I-pin and Orihime, their only daughter, had slid into the room with a basin of hot water and clean cloths. "Kirio, your strength and skill should have been enough to knock your brother out if you tried. Your swords weren't necessary." He thought about it momentarily, if it was really worth it trying to make these two makeup... No, it wasn't. Forcing them so only leads to more explosive and bloody fights, often pulling in civilians for hostages. Maybe his kids had been watching too much tv or plain just watched him and I-pin do usual stuff to be that aggressive. Maybe I-pin was right into pulling out of the Mafia sometime in her life. Maybe their kids could use it, too.

A sigh escaped his lips and all his three kids looked up at him with concern. All were eager to jump at him and ask what was wrong, he knew, and he wouldn't want to break the tension, lest Kirio and Fujio got away with it. All the while his heart swelled with joy just knowing how his kids are concerned for him. Being taken care of wasn't that bad.

Kyoya's stern gaze returned and Kirio was ashamed. "I'm sorry, Father. I should've been in control." And no matter how much his sister had wiped away at his gaping wound with the hot, and possibly salted, water, it never elicited any twitch from him. Kyoya expected as much.

I-pin's sweet laughter unwinds their eldest, "Control is an illusion, sweetie," as she looked at the wound Fujio received. The short sword went through and removing it would cause more blood loss. I-pin bit her lip. Control wasn't really in her grasp when she could see her boy already paling at the loss of blood. Ushering him up onto his feet, I-pin lets Kyoya help them both. Now that I-pin was able to look at her husband, he wasn't spared of the carnage either, having so many cuts on his arms. It must have been from trying to restrain the volatile Fujio.

"Kyo-san?" I-pin called as Kyoya heaved Fujio towards Kusakabe, who in turn hauls the kid towards their personal medics. There was peace in Namimori and they have a family but never did I-pin think that it was more painful to see her children fight each other to the death. Her man turns to look at her, eyes passive yet his lips were pulled into a taut line. It seems the scolding is still not over.

Kyoya calls his eldest child again, who was calm throughout the ordeal. "Were you this calm when you fought Fujio? I'm glad to know that you wanted your brother to regard you as somebody who's out of his league but trying to cut him into a million pieces won't get to his thick head."

"And let him kill me?" Kirio certainly wasn't happy. "I tried not to. But he asked for it."

"You know your brother's hate for being two minutes late."

"That rhymes," and his son casually pointed out the unintended. Sometimes, Kyoya couldn't decide which of the twins had weirder tendencies.

"Don't kill you brother. He has a use, even for you. Now get yourself patched up." With that, the patriarch was about to leave the bloody room but was stopped by a firm hold on his elbow. Her soft hands were unmistakable, "What is it, I-pin?"

"You," and I-pin pulled him to face her, his tired eyes searching for something in hers, her hands trailing up to his neck, and he snaked his arms around her waist, "Did a great job at handling the kids." With a kiss they disgusted their other children. Then she jabs a finger against his chest, "And YOU need to get patched up!"

His taut lips suddenly grew into a serpentine smirk, lustful thoughts obvious in his face, "I could certainly use that."

"Ugh! Don't show it to us! You herbivores!" Their youngest had a very deep scowl and the couple only laughed, well, mostly I-pin. Soon, they part except for their hands and Kyoya leads her out. But before they could leave the two disgruntled kids, I-pin waves at them goodbye, "We'll have to fix your hair later, okay? Don't go out. Somebody might make fun of you."

"Right," Kirio nods. His prized mane was shaved right of the fringes and now his ear is showing; his look that mirrored his father's when he was young was turned into an unsightly mop. He sighed "A year, maybe…" as he checked how short the cut side was; it could pass as a school-required cut.

Kirio was about to leave when his sister pulled at his sleeve, "Clean this up," Orihime gestures at the bloody stains that is almost everywhere. Kirio simply snorts at her.

"Tatyana!" The eldest did not even raise his voice to that of a holler but a young girl almost the age of his sister comes up to him in a flash, "That was quick. Please clean this for me," and leaves after petting both the girls.

"Ugh, what a douche prince!" Orihime sticks out her tongue and helps the servant girl clean up. "Dad should clean up their mess!"

Like he was waiting to hear those exact words, Kirio returned with only his head peeking through the gap of the shoji, "If it's you, he'd do it. Ask nicely. And ladylike."

The two girls didn't know if he was joking or not, what with that overly flat tone and straight face.

-Skylark Family-

After all these years, Kyoya is still learning a lot of things by being around the kids and I-pin would usually tell him "It's nice that we're learning more from them than they are on us." And all of the effort he puts into it usually gets rewarded by some hot night.

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**Thanks for reading this far. Yeah, maybe I should do a more daddy-things chapter where Kyoya is with babies. That would be fun. Just imagine the horror on his face.**

**There you have it, please leave a review.**

**I do not own KHR!**


	5. Skylark Family: No Boyfriends

-Getting Boyfriends-

"Hey, Mom!" Fujio perks up after savoring their great dinner for the first time, "I bet Imouto-chan has something good to tell you!" And then he dodged a pair of chopsticks that flew straight his way. His sister, the tomboy Orihime, was burning with anger at her brother's baseless outburst.

"Shut it, you pig!" Orihime's cheeks flared with a bright blush. The young girl then closes her eyes, her chin high, and lips in a haughty pout, and fixes herself over her zabuton, placing her hands neatly folded on her lap. "Hmph. How uncouth," and she picks up her bowl of rice again whilst an attendant hands her a new pair of chopsticks.

"Come on, Imouto-chan! Tell Mom how much you're crushing on somebody!" Fujio prods on but with a yelp he stops and continues to eat silently. Apparently, his older brother who sat beside him, who now sported a very short haircut and a displeasing horizontal scar on his cheek, had pulled on his long braid. The fight they had before still left a scar on the younger one's shoulder and the pain of defeat still stung; there was no way Fujio was going to be beaten up twice.

Silence was upon them again and Kyoya watched as his family ate I-pin's cooking with content. He, too, enjoyed it very much despite the veggies. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling of seeing how his little girl is becoming a grown woman. A long time ago she would play with dirt and be full of scrapes and wear her hair short and maybe wear her brothers' clothing because she believed herself to be a boy. But now, she was trying so hard to become like her mother who is graceful and classy. Compared to I-pin, Orihime is very stiff. And she was beginning to realize how good it is to be around boys, romantically speaking.

'Wait, she's crushing on who?' Then at that moment, two pairs of chopsticks angrily smash against their low table, rattling the dishes, bowls and glasses they had. The two, Kyoya and Kirio, had an unpaintable expression upon their faces. Their eyes soon fall upon the youngest.

"Who's this guy?" Kirio half shouts, sending his family into a shock. He never expressed that much surprise. He was always the unperturbed, monotonous and apathetic member of the family, even beating Kyoya

As for Kyoya, he was calm and empty. There was but one thing to say, "You're not allowed to get a boyfriend." And with a scathing glare, he looked straight into Orihime's pained eyes, "You marry who I tell you to marry."

I-pin was quick to protest. "Dear! That's unfair!" After all, the two of them hooked up out of love.

Again, the young Orihime was about to protest. Stopping midway with her voice and words stuck in her throat, she sat obediently over her zabuton, the only comfort she has against the hard floor. All she ever does after the argument is to tuck a stray strand of her hair behind her ear and continue to eat.

Fujio then sees how his sister has become an obedient pup from a rambunctious sister she once claimed to be. And it pained him as well that she cannot be with the person she loves, albeit she does not understand her own feelings and what love really is. He places his chopsticks on the table and clears his throat to speak, "Come on, Dad. It's YamaKen anyway. So you don't have to be so worked up," was what Fujio supplies as he sipped from his miso soup.

Both I-pin and Kyoya had to ask, "YamaKen?"

"Yamamoto Ken," but it was Kirio who answered, his voice laced with unrestricted hate and malice.

Yamamoto Ken is Yamamoto Takeshi's son and is, by far, the most useless whelp in the group comprised of the Tenth Vongola generation's children. The boy, as old as Orihime, was flameless. No matter how he tried he could not light any kind of ring. Not only that but YamaKen is only useful in baseball and isn't even trying to match up to the others, as Kyoya remembers the boy. There was no way that Kyoya would let his daughter marry a weakling.

"That herbivore's weak," Orihime spat.

Fujio was in thought. "Then why do you blush so much around him? And why do you always run away when he's around?"

"That's enough. No weaklings are allowed in my family." With this statement, the kids smirk and puff out their chests, regardless of their previous emotions. Being regarded strong by their father, the strongest Guardian of the Vongola Tenth, was more than enough honor to last a life time, well for these kids, that is. They all turned quiet and contented, with only eating in their minds.

"You all are battle idiots…" and I-pin serves his boys seconds.

The next morning, Kyoya's kids were getting ready for the day while he was getting ready to meet the Vongola remnants at the airport. There was something about resurrecting the former glory.

I-pin looped his tie to a finish and her hands glided over his chest as they smooth down his white dress shirt, eliciting a contented sigh from the man. Then she parts from him and fetches his coat, her words a bit wistful, "I'll be seeing you later, then? It would be lonely and the bed would be cold."

"I'll bite those herbivores to death if they plan to overstay." Kyoya rarely joked but his rare moments was always met by I-pin's laughter, no matter how corny the joke is. Now, she is quite in deep thought.

"Hn? What's wrong?" Kyoya asks as he slips his arm into his coat that I-pin held out for him. "Still thinking about Orihime?" The woman nods weakly and looks at him pleadingly. "I was joking. That girl is like you. She will not choose somebody who's weak." With these simple words, the twinkling returned to I-pin's eyes and Kyoya swore that she was about to cry. Still, the mixed feelings of relief and anger bug him; the idea that his little girl was touching a boy, or maybe a man—I-pin is ten years younger than him and Kyoya did not want to rule the possibility out—is currently tying his guts into a tight knot. There is the strong desire to know.

The couple got out of their room, the walk through the huge Japanese manse was painfully long, but the two knew well that it was time they could spend hand in hand, which Kyoya enjoys more when no one is around.

Soon they caught up with young Orihime who was putting on her shoes, an unmistakable black haired boy standing diligently over her. The boy notices the Hibari couple quick and bows low to both, "Good morning, boss!" and straightens quickly. His strong chin and thick brows like his father's, Kusakabe Tetsuhiko was becoming more and more a man with each passing day. And more like his father without the pompadour.

At the sight of this boy, I-pin's worried look turns into a bright happiness and she places a hand over the boy's arm and with a gentle squeeze on it, she causes him to blush furiously. "Tecchan! I see you've been working out. That's good. Take care of my little girl, ninja-san." Her smile was like a million-watt light and the boy blushes further at her remark.

"I'm not a ninja, Anego… I still have a ways to go," the boy says with a sheepish smile.

"I am a Hibari. I do not need his help nor do I need a shadow." Orihime then flips her hair over her shoulder, her usual superiority oozing out. "Tetsu-kun!"

The boy in question turns to see his mistress already by the gate. But he does not fail to be polite to the oyabun and his wife, "Missus, of course I will. Boss, please excuse me," and runs after his charge.

Alone again, I-pin turns to see her husband's face for the last time that morning and happily comments, "Isn't he energetic?" and swiped a few pats over Kyoya's shoulder then straightening the coat again for good measure.

"Kun?" Kyoya was thinking aloud; his brows scrunched in a deep frown all the while he kept a neutral, relative to anger, but confused look.

"Kun?" I-pin was surprised that he gave it that much thought. "Dear, she's been calling Tecchan Tetsu-kun since sixth grade." She places her palms on the sides of his head and places a gentle kiss on the middle of his brows and with soothing words, she placates the man somehow, "No need to be jealous, dear. No man can ever take me away from you!"

Kusakabe the Older, then comes up to the couple and smiled proudly. "Kyo-san, we should be heading to the airport." Having doing nothing bad, the vice president was shocked to have met a very sharp glare from his boss. It was an understatement to say that Kusakabe was intrigued. In fact, he was afraid. It has been long since Kyoya had given him a hard glare, the last he was also punched for bossing him around. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but ask as to what manner of trespass he had done without his conscious thought, "Did I do something wrong, Kyo-san?"

"I'm going to kill your kid," and the Hibari patriarch gets on the car. He does not forget to kiss his wife goodbye though and waves to her as the car window rolls up. "If he ever touches a single hair on my daughter, I'll bite him to death. Burn him to ashes and grind him below my heels. And if he hurts her, I'll send him to hell, follow him and I'll kill him twice," he declared his death threat rather flatly that it was as if he was reading out a script as bad as a newbie voice actor. That or he was so out of emotions. Take a pick.

"I never knew that Kyo-san could be a very protective dad!" Kusakabe laughs nervously as he pulled through a turn as smoothly as he can. "Ah, I forgot Namimori's your first kid."

"Darn right, you are."

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So I'll be trying to form a bit of a coherent setting for the story itself and maybe provide some things about the other Eleventh gen Vongola kids, whom I have yet to name. You already have YamaKen, inspired by Tonari ni Kaibutsu-kun, and Kusakabe Tetsuhiko who is inspired by Kagetora of a manga of the same name. Although I won't be concentrating on them as I said in the summary.

There you have it! Thanks for reading this far and I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review.


	6. Skylark Family: Casanova Son

Hi to those who read and wait for "Romantically Inclined", thank you very much! Here's is another one shot but I think I'm moving on with things. I'm just writing spontaneously so things might get cut short or lengthened. Oh well. And that I might put in an underlying story. All in all, I hope everyone stays and reads.

Also, thanks to the guest named Sphinx. Your comment/review made me write again. Thank you!

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_Skylark Family: Casanova Not In My Genes_

It was a slow hot day in the middle of summer and the stagnant heated air in the huge Japanese manse further infuriated the head of the strict and carnivorous Cloud Guardian. He sat by the balcony, facing the vast garden by himself. With the air conditioner broken, Kyoya could only sate his burning flesh with a small fan that I-pin handed to him earlier that day, and with every swish came a longer thought about how his little girl has grown up.

Kyoya was immersed in thought. He was angry for not noticing soon enough, angry that some unproven boy was laying claim on his daughter, and angry that he could not lay a hand on the said boy. Tetsuhiko was the son of a subordinate, a very indispensable one at that, heck, the closest one to a friend even. And it seems that a kind of reward should be underway for all the services Tetsuya has rendered to him. His exasperating thoughts drew a sigh from him. Being too caught up in it, he did not notice his beautiful wife approach,

"Kyoya-kun… please don't plan Tecchan's murder," said I-pin as she placed a tray of two glasses of iced tea in front of the man. The glass was sweating the same way Kyoya was sweltering in the heat,

"When is it gonna be fixed?" Kyoya groaned as he fanned himself while I-pin gently dried the thin streams of sweat on his face. A smirk found its way on his lips as his wife's hand traveled to his neck and down the patch of skin his yukata showed, so she could wipe away the sweat. But Kyoya had other ideas, "Oh, I know. Why don't you undress me?"

The heat might have been too strong and it fried his brain. Or, more likely charged his batteries. He leaned in hungrily, licking his lips as a lustful glint was in his eyes and I-pin would return it with a shy gaze through her long lashes. The glasses continued to sweat and the ice became a thin layer of water over the tea. Until Kirio arrived with a disgusted look on his face. "How can you be so close in this heat?" True. Even the child had his short hair sticking to his face.

The couple parted. Kyoya could only angrily take a glass for himself and sip the cold liquid it held, "What do you want?" and set it down with a loud thump, trying to tell his kid how much the moment had been ruined. I-pin, on the other hand, watched with stifled laughter.

"I'm going out with Kozato-san. I left my task at Orihime and Hiko's hands." The stoic boy left without hearing what his parents had to say. Though his actions weren't seen as rude, Kyoya opted to stay on the boy's heels towards the entryway, without an ounce of subtlety to his curiosity.

All throughout the walk, there was only one thing in the man's mind: 'Kozato? Why Kozato?' Kyoya mused about how his kids would be associated with Kozato but came up with none. But still, there are a lot of factors that he hadn't considered. Like, if this Kozato-san was a beautiful girl who was enamored with his son.

Kyoya was dumbfounded as he stood in between the skylark image-adorned dividers of the wide entryway. He saw his boy entertain the girl who looked like a model but was lacking in height. He also saw Kirio swipe his hand over the girl's shoulder to play with her reddish-brown hair. "What?" was the only word that left Kyoya's quivering lips, calling the attention of the children in front of him and effectively breaking the intimate atmosphere between the two.

The girl, wordless and doubtless, bowed perfectly and raised her head with a sweet smile on her pouty lips, "Good afternoon, Hibari-san. My name is Kozato Mami. It's a pleasure to meet you." Then she turned to Kirio with an even brighter smile, "Hibari-kun looks a lot like his father! And you sound like him, too!"

To which Kirio answers like a seasoned charmer, "Mami, my father's a Hibari, too. Call me Kirio to distinguish us," forcing the heat to become visible on the girl's face. He then dons a smirk and bids farewell to his father, pretty Mami in tow. "And I don't sound like him."

"Oh yes you do!" Mami pestered him. However, Kirio keeps a small smile and a fond look over the red-haired girl and listens to her chatter happily by his side as they walk. "But with your hair short, it's not that obvious. Your genes are funny," was Mami's final statement before they could disappear completely from the adult's vision.

As the two kids waved goodbye, I-pin snuck behind Kyoya. The words that she held back until everything had sunk into her husband's dense head serve as a pre-emptive attack, "Smooth moves, huh?" The man quickly turned but his face was nothing I-pin had ever seen. I-pin found it incredulous, that something such as their son being proactive towards girls would rattle the man infamous for his apathy and stony expression; Kyoya was broken. "I'm pretty sure he didn't learn it from you."

Hibari Kyoya was deep in thought once again.

"It's not that bad. At least you get to be a grandfather earlier!" I-pin laughed and was about to leave her husband to his muddled thoughts when he grabbed her wrist, his fingers curling and uncurling over her skin. From their hands to his eyes, I-pin saw that he was unsure, it was rare, and the way he tried to speak in his momentary muteness caused another round of laughter to boil in her stomach. "What's wrong, Kyoya-kun?"

"What the damn hell just happened?" Kyoya then sputtered when he regained his control over his speech. He grit his teeth to which I-pin raised a brow. She then wrapped her arms around his neck, her body squeezed close to him, and looked up at him through her lashes, locking gazes with him.

The wife spoke with a seductive voice, "Well… Mami-chan is a pretty girl and Kirio-kun likes her." But Kyoya averted his gaze and I-pin tilts her face to the side, attempting to take back what was taken from her yet her man resisted her charm. Nevertheless, she asserts her point, "Aren't you like that around me?"

After a long silence followed by a sharp exhale, Kyoya speaks the unthinkable, "Kirio and Tatyana are… intimate," causing I-pin's eyes to widen in surprise. He swallows the thick lump in his throat and continues, "I've seen him with Yulia of the Varia as well… Others also mentioned that Kirio has his way around with the ladies in the turf. What is he, a Casanova?" Confusion reflected in his eyes, and I-pin shared the appalled feelings he has. She could only think of one possibility,

"…Lambo…" Yep, blame the resident Casanova for turning others into one. One thing is for sure, the eldest child of the Hibari couple will sit in a very long sermon about chastity, protection and commitment.

Later that day, Kirio returns from his date with Kozato Mami. He was tired. He didn't even bother arranging his shoes after he took them off. He just went past the first room filled with noisy mooks that greeted him, going straight for the family's reception, unknowing of the ambush that was there for him.

"I don't have a problem about the Varia whore. But toying with Kozato's daughter may actually cost us something."

There, Kirio sat uncomfortably over his _zabuton_ as his father measured each and every action, even the smallest, that he made. He could feel that his father was furious despite the peaceful look. And it scared him. Whatever courage he has when he's with women is out the shoji now and he's practically shuddering at the cold gaze his father directed at him.

But there is something that he wishes to fight for. So, in spite of his embarrassing tendency of being a Casanova, Kirio raised his head and faced the older man, with fiery passion burning in the windows of his soul, professed his deepest desire, "I… I love Mami."

From the other room, a loud and audacious laugh could be heard, the cackling unmistakably Fujio. "This is precious! Did you hear that?" The two other Hibaris heard him, whoever he was talking to must be annoyed to hell. "He says 'I love Mami!' but you'll see him later with other women! What a manwhore!"

Kyoya witnessed his eldest son's self-control. The boy was clearly restraining himself in his seat over the _zabuton;_ teeth gritting in anger of his brother's words and knuckles turning white, Kirio was certainly offended that he didn't care if it showed. The father wished that Fujio would stop speaking but that was too much to ask for as he hears another snide remark at the Kozato girl,

"I bet he wants Mami because she's an innocent bombshell! Nothing beats an innocent-looking girl that's a whore under the skin!"

Swords run zipping through the air, manipulated by righteous fury, and through the fusuma that separated the twins. More swords appear in the air, wreathed by Cloud flames, suspended and revolving around Kirio, point out like wheel spokes. "Mami always rejects my advances. Mami is caring. She's kind and small. She makes me want to protect her and everything that she cherishes. She might appear weak but Mami is strong." The aggravated walked through the debris of what was once a cardboard divider and with great malice goaded his brother into a fight, "Say that Mami's a whore again. I dare you! I double dare you, motherfucker!"

Despite the hate and dark aura, Fujio casually looks over his shoulder. A battle is what he yearns for, "Aren't you the motherfucker?"

The fire of hate is lit once again and the twins charge towards one another in a fight to the death! Or so what it should have been if the person that Fujio was with hadn't interfered. His blond hair swished in his movement, his Sky flames neutralizing the Cloud swords that Kirio materialized and his whips restraining both males from trading blows.

Kyoya wasn't surprised that his twin sons were intercepted. What surprised him was the interloper—the blond candidate for the Eleventh Generation sired by the Chiavarone, "Bucking foal…" he said as he closed his eyes and listened to the thunder-like snapping of whips.

"Gino…" Even Kirio was surprised with his appearance.

"So, I will live forever in the shadow of my old man, eh?" The blond young man rubbed his nape as he straightened from his attack position, his two whips returning to their boxes and releasing the cooled twins. He laughed, his wispy light blond locks swishing in his motion, and told the boys to calm down with his hands. Then he turns to meet the patriarch of the house, "Long time no see, Uncle." But he was met with a cold welcome, almost unwanted in the household,

"What are you doing here?" said Kyoya with narrowed eyes and an annoyed voice; his words subtly covering the cruel 'Go home.' Gino Chiavarone is lucky that I-pin was insistent on having Kyoya learn not to turn family friends away.

"Ah, that can-a wait. So Kirio-kun is in love? Who's the lucky girl?" Gino asked the blushing eldest son.

However, Fujio intercepted the question, "More like unlucky! Kirio's a Casanova apparently."

"You should cherish the woman you love! There's only one who can truly manage your shit!" Gino reprimanded the guilty. "But I think you can look... I mean you're just looking, right?" Now, he was just longing for the familial bickering, he has long been away from the Hibari household, and hoped that the man would take the bait, "Uncle, did you teach him that?"

But alas, Kyoya was never one for bickering, as his deadpan voice ruins even the slightest of jokes in his words, "More like you did. How many wives do I have?"

"One and that's me," answered I-pin as she eyed the broken _fusuma_ with a deep frown creasing her brows. She clicked her tongue as she picked up a piece of the frame. Whoever was responsible for its destruction cringed. "Kirio. I suppose you know how much I care for everything in this house, yes?" and the boy nodded. "You are grounded. And you can't meet any girls for two months. Tetsuhiko will serve you during that time. Clean your mess." Then she turns to the guest; her strict frown disappearing in a blink of an eye. "Oh, why hello, Gino! You look more handsome now! I bet the girls gush over you! I hope you're not being a shameless flirt like one of my sons. When did you arrive?" Gino could only smile at her endless questions thereafter and was led away to another partition. Fujio left as well, reveling in the magnificent punishment that his brother was given.

Now that they were alone, Kirio faced his father again, "I really love Mami. Father, how will I prove to you my love for Mami?" The same passion he had before was back in him.

Kyoya held only one answer to the question and he was sure it was powerful enough to kick out the shameful tendencies from his son, "Prove it to Mami, not to me. Just as I had to your mother when everyone questioned me of my intentions." And he placed a firm hand over Kirio's shoulder and bobbed his head once. Upon releasing his hold, he looked at the floor, "Clean this up," and left to follow I-pin and Gino.

For a first time in a long time, Kyoya smiled with pride. Hopefully he won't be disproven.

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There you have it. I hope you enjoyed this one as well as the others.

**Hibari Kirio** is the older of the twins born to Kyoya and I-pin. He is given authority being the first born and strongest fighter, and usually conflicts with his twin. He is a boy of few words and he prefers that his hair be worn just as long as Kyoya had when he was sixteen. He has bad eyesight and wears glasses; he plans on using contact lenses. His stoic yet caring self is a powerful charm to girls and women alike, and his Casanova disposition has developed from his father giving him the socializing jobs. He now sports a short haircut due to receiving a wound that spanned his cheek and cut off the top part of his left ear. (Cloud)

**Hibari Fujio** is the younger of the twins born to Kyoya and I-pin. He is two minutes younger than his twin brother. Just as twins are opposites, he is more social and vocal about things and is also the hot-blooded twin. He prefers his Grandpa, Fon, more than his father, thus wearing a braid for a hairstyle. He also claims that his siblings are heartless and do not know love unlike him. His eyesight isn't as bad as his brother's. (Sun)

**Hibari Orihime** is the youngest child born to Kyoya and I-pin. She acts unrefined despite I-pin's teaching and tends to settle things with her fists. Although she is the strongest in terms of physical strength amongst the siblings, Kyoya has posted several men around her to ensure her safety, including Kusakabe's son. She wears her hair in "hime" cut hence reinforcing her title of 'Princess.' (Storm)

**Kusakabe Tetsuhiko** is Tetsuya's only son. He has been training in the arts of ninjutsu to better protect the Hibari princess. He is around Orihime for almost twenty-four hours as directed by the Boss and the Lady-Boss.

**Kozato Mami** is Kozato Enma's daughter and heir. She is spoiled by her Dad and Aunt Adel but she works it out whenever she's not with the Shimon famiglia and tries her best not to annoy others. She wears her hair parted at the left and wears cherry blossom pins. (Earth)

**Gino Chiavarone** is Dino's second child. He is a contender for the title of Eleventh, or Neo Secondo, facing against Tsunayoshi's son. He has a simple and kind personality until he enters battle; he becomes hotblooded and fierce. He is close to the Hibari family and oftentimes spends his vacations at their house. He calls I-pin Mama and Kyoya Uncle. Fujio would always hang out with him whenever he is around. He shares the Casanova tendencies with Kirio. (Sky)


	7. 181: Motherly Love and Drama

**Sorry guys if I'm a little... intermittent when it comes to updating. But I hope this new chapter makes up for it! Enjoy!**

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**Motherly Love (And Drama)**

A pink haired woman stood beyond what seems to be an arena, announcing the beginning of the Cloud Ring match, "Subdue your enemy and your respective teams will get the point. And also," In her hands, she held a velvet box wherein a shiny ring embossed with the image of a cloud and the insignia of the most powerful famiglia, the Vongola, sat in wait for its new owner. "Whoever the winner gets to wield the Vongola Cloud Ring."

The tension was thick and the two competitors, two boys who shared the same features, seemed to enjoy it rather than be paralyzed. One had short hair and the knowing gleam of his glasses sparkled in the dimly lit arena, taking the attention away from his look of bloodlust. The other one had long, braided hair and he spats, "Kirio-nii, get ready to be beaten," with a smile more telling of his excitement unlike the other.

"Challenge accepted!"

Meanwhile at the Hibari estate, the Vongola power couple was having a little fight. Considering that both are powerful martial artists, little would be rather hard to scale. As of now, the missus is relentless at knocking at her husband's chest; said knocking may or may not be as powerful as a brickbreaker.

She was crying with a sour pout on her face and reddened, puffed cheeks, as she ranted endlessly, "Kyo-chan! Why!? You're so cruel! Cruel! Cruel!" Yet Kyoya stood undisturbed by his wife's antics, his face a serene contemplative look. He eyed his wife as she went on hitting his chest and spouting nonsense about their children being allowed to join the Ring Battles. To him, it was only natural that his children took part as they have his strength, his flames, and those shouldn't be wasted on idle hands. If they win or not, they have gained strength nonetheless.

"I-pin… you do realize those kids can't be stopped, right?" Soon enough, the light thumping on him ceased and hot hands clung to his yukata. The woman answered with a nod and she raised her swollen eyes and he couldn't help but feel torn. As much as he wanted to grant I-pin's request of keeping the children safe from battles, it would require that he bound his kids with chains at the depths of the Foundation, which is the barest minimum.

I-pin shook him twice, "You could have tried harder!"

"Then why don't you chain them to the depths of HQ?"

This restarted her attack on him; her pretty, little hands forming weak fists that knocked at him with the strength of a raging mother. "You're cruel! Cruel! Cruel! Cruel!" I-pin cried again.

Kyoya couldn't help but think if there was ever a right answer in their petty argument. But then, the safety of the kids was never petty to begin with; it was more complicated than having to change diapers. For the second time, I-pin ceased and her eyes were overflowing with tears and her lips pursed tightly due to her rampaging anxiety. "Kyo-chan doesn't understand!" Then she ran away with tears streaming down her porcelain face, leaving Kyoya in the hallway to be found by Kusakabe, dumbstruck.

-Skylark-

The house was quiet without the kids' constant clamor and I-pin missed it very much. Now that they were all gathered at someplace else, possibly brewing strategy or fighting, I-pin had nothing to dote on. Well, Kyoya was there. But they're currently in a fight so he doesn't count.

A sigh escaped her lips as she lazily lounged at the low window in a room on the second story of their house, her legs folded underneath her, overlooking their beautiful garden and seeing her husband looking up at her from below. Their eyes met for a few minutes as unspoken words become known only to them and it was as if everything was resolved by their loving and warm gazes.

The man left the garden as I-pin the window. She takes a pot, two cups and tea from the cabinet and places them on the table; soon enough her husband came in with the slide of the door.

"I'm sorry. I was being unreasonable earlier," I-pin began as she put the leaves in the pot, beginning to steep the tea. "I just…"and her hand clutched over the porcelain object, the lid clinking with the pot itself, and Kyoya's hand over hers was more than enough to cut her sentence off and never to be continued.

"I'm scared, too," Kyoya confessed.

"That's unlikely. Pinch me," and he heeded her request, pinching her delicate hand. A small smile tugged on her lips and the husband wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes. As his hand retracted, he opted to sit beside her, so that he could envelope her in a warm embrace.

"So much drama…" was his apathetic comment that which would have started another argument if I-pin was sober.

Her grip tightened around him and her shuddering became more prominent. It scared Kyoya that I-pin was capable of such emotional change. The time that he left her alone to her own schemes doesn't even compare; back then she was more composed, in control. Now she was nothing but a wreck.

"Why can't we keep them from fighting?" Her words were muffled on his strong shoulder.

He had no words to comfort her with. Mainly because it was not his forte, secondly because he knew that he was at fault: he had long drilled into the skulls of his kids that strength would be the only thing he'd truly appreciate. What's more is that he doesn't know how he'd respond to an emotional I-pin, whom he had never seen break down, ever. "Maybe… I really don't understand…"

I-pin heard him, the full length of it. But she wanted to be sure, to be reassured that her hearing didn't fail her and thus asked with a surprised face.

Kyoya was embarrassed to say the least, "I said I don't understand…"

"You said you were scared but you also say you don't understand? Are you crazy?"

"As I've said, I don't understand." It wasn't meant to be hilarious yet I-pin was laughing at him. "You're laughing."

Resting her head on his shoulder, I-pin sighs as the last strings of laughter leave her. "Dearest husband, having a family, your own blood family, changed you a lot. For better or for worse, I don't know. But, I do know that you love being with us even if we're annoying and I'm happy for that. The kids… I don't want them to fight. I don't want them to get hurt." Then she pulls back to look at him, "I don't want you to get hurt. Because it hurts here," and she places her hand over her chest, just above her beating heart. "And it hurts even more when I see them fight one another."

The long silence after prodded Kyoya, 'say something,' yet there was nothing in his head. All he could do was stare at the rippling surface of the tea that she served him. There was no solution, at least at present nor the near future, and no matter how the man simulated things in his bright head, it's a constant: his kids will keep on fighting.

"What can I say to make you feel better?" was his final card. It wasn't the trump but what can he do, seeing that there's limited choice.

"Tell me you're scared again." Mischievous was her smile.

"No way." Kyoya responded quickly; his eyes a little venomous.

Her bright smile was back on her lips again; a great relief if Kyoya was concerned. "Guess I'm pushing too hard, huh?"

Then he moved closer, his hot breath fanning over he ear and neck, "I know something that I can push harder…" and he followed it with a smirk, causing a different kind of blush to creep over I-pin's face.

"Kyo-san!" pushing him at the shoulder as well. Once they both settled down and the warm and familiar companionship was back between them, I-pin had to ask the question that lingered far too long, "So, why is there another Ring Battle?"

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And it's done. Thank you for reading as far as here. Please leave a review.

So why is there another ring battle? The answer is nothing. Because I wasn't thinking.


	8. 181: Skylark's Resolve

**181: Skylark's Resolve**

Frustrated, Kyoya threw a right cross at the punching bag and with a loud thwack the poor object swung on its chains with a sickening screech. He has been pulverizing the poor punching bag for an hour now and the other guardians were worried about the expensive equipment they all pitched in to buy. Kyoya didn't even give a cent!

"Damn it, that battle nut is destroying our punching bag!" Gokudera hissed but made sure he was not too noisy about it. One wrong move and they could all be the punching bag.

Yamamoto laughed. He was the sanest amongst the guardians present and he'd rather spend some more bucks than have broken bones. "I'd rather have it that way, Gokudera-san," and then he swung the gym door open and acknowledged the fuming Cloud guardian.

"Hey, what's up, Hibari-san?" said the swordsman with his usual happy tone. He hopes that it rubs off, as according to the doctor 'Hibari-san is easy to talk to. Just don't come up with stupid remarks or don't speak too loudly.'

"This fucking punching bag is!"

The bag did swing high enough from a right straight filled with unadulterated rage.

"Hey, take it easy!"

Again, Gokudera screeched in his place, "What's he trying to do, get us all in trouble!?" whilst Ryohei simply whistled at the immaculate form that Hibari was showing them.

"Well, I'd say I want to fight the extreme him," said Ryohei as he further analyzed the Cloud's condition. "I don't mind six broken ribs today." Then the Sun guardian followed the Rain and asked Hibari for a sparring session.

"You really are an idiot!" Gokudera has had enough.

Then, the gym door swung open once again and the three males turned their heads to see who it was.

"Goku—" but Yamamoto was cut off when he saw the doctor come in in her usual training getup. "Oh, hi I-pin-chan! Wanna spar?"

I-pin's eyes lit up and excitement was clear in her voice, "With you? That's great! I haven't fought you in a while!" The bounce in her heels when she walked was telltale of her excitement. If there's anyone she liked training with, it would always be him, the Rain Guardian.

"Nah, not me," He replied and quickly the excitement died down. With a wide smile he pointed at the dumbstruck Cloud guardian. "Him." The man's expression changed in a blink of an eye and the smiling young man knew that he was fucked even without looking.

The already angry Hibari paced forward, his steps brisk and of muscle memory. His right fist raised, he reared his arm in a punch windup, ready to blow the Rain guardian to the moon, only to be deflected by the female martial artist. In a minute fraction of a second, Hibari was already on his knees, clutching his stomach with painful wonder; he had counted two broken ribs on the left and they have started to swell.

"How…?" Hibari hissed as he looked up at the young martial artist that he is so enamored with.

"Hibari-san, you know you shouldn't pull sucker punches on anyone!" I-pin said as she held out a hand to him.

_'Sucker punches? You're the one who just pulled one!'_ But her pretty smile was so disarming that he forgot that he was really angry. Hibari could only stare at her in amazement; said amazement was stemming from the fact that she could make him weak.

"Well? Why don't we take care of you in the clinic?" I-pin offered. It was an offer he will not resist. But somebody just had to ruin it,

"Nah, he's fine! This is Hibari-san we're talkin' about!" said Ryohei exuberantly and then the unwitting boxer gave the injured guardian a slap on the shoulder. Reflexively, Hibari reacted to it with an uppercut square on the boxer's chin. The boxing legend, being caught offguard, had the daylights knocked out of him and is currently floored.

Hibari pouted,_ 'That's for ruining my chance!'_

Yamamoto poked his unconscious senpai thrice, "Aaaand he's out! We have a winner," then eyed Hibari nervously. He could be next. He hoped that I-pin saves his ass from getting whipped. Literally.

"Ryohei-san!" I-pin then dropped to her knees and checked the unconscious man's pulse. That uppercut was dangerous; Hibari could have killed him. "Thank the gods you didn't kill him, Hibari-san! It's a good thing he's automatic flames protected him!" Relieved, but still indignant, I-pin glared at the quiet guardian. "Carry him to the clinic!" she demanded.

_'Ahahahahah, I-pin-chan, you are so lucky Hibari-san likes you a lot,'_ thought Yamamoto as he took a step back for safe measure. He can never know if the volatile guardian might take it out on him since the young woman was most probably the last human that Hibari could hurt.

I-pin took a seat on the chair in front of the bed that Hibari sat on. The young man took a huge gulp as he realized that there were only two conscious people inside the clinic, and those two were them. And she was positioned in between his legs. The cloud guardian swallowed nervously.

"What is wrong with you lately, being extremely peachy?" Then she motioned for him to remove his clothes, inducing a very beautiful bloom of deep crimson on Hibari's cheeks.

Flustered, the usually stoic guardian was glued motionless on his seat. '_What the!? Does she want to see me naked?'_ He couldn't help it. Although he wouldn't mind stripping for somebody as hot as I-pin, the fact that the stupid Sun guardian is present is rather embarrassing. Not to mention that he might wake up to destroy the mood again.

It didn't help that I-pin was hurrying him up either, "Come on, we have to see which are broken!"

_'Damn it, woman. Don't try my patience with you!'_ But then a bright realization hit him, _'Wait, I've been waiting for this chance to happen…'_ Then without any second thoughts he unzipped his parka, shrugging it off hurriedly lest his chance flew away; his urgent lust blotting out the pain of his fractured ribs. Next was his sleeveless shirt which he actually had a hard time pulling up due to the injury.

I-pin then leaned forward, her nimble fingers pulling up on the fabric. She stood up and reached behind Hibari, who was on a thought overdrive, to pull off the shirt completely. Once the wretched apparel was off, she returned to her seat and her index finger gingerly poked at a spot on the man's inflamed left flank. With the slightest touch, Hibari flinched. "But you didn't cough up blood so I guess you're fine," said she as she fetched some ice for the cold compress.

_'Honestly, she didn't need me to strip…'_ Hibari thought to himself, subsequently raising his self-confidence._ 'Ha, she wanted me to strip!'_ Even without morphine, the Cloud was high.

"Hibari-san, let's have this over your in—"

She was about to place the bag over his chiseled torso when somebody suddenly barged into the clinic. It was Lambo.

_'Damn it!'_

"Hey, I-pin! Let's grab lunch together!" said the younger man as he approached the beautiful doctor.

Returning to Hibari, I-pin carefully placed the ice pack on him, eyeing the clock on the wall. It wouldn't be good for ice to overstay, it might damage some nerves. "Why? Can't we have lunch with everybody here?"

_'That's right!'_ Hibari was overly happy knowing that her hands were somewhat all over him and that she was smiling at him as she asked the dimwitted Lambo. He then glared at the Casanova, _'The hell is wrong with this herbivore?'_

"I-pin." Lambo looked intensely at I-pin and dropped an A-bomb line without batting an eye, "I don't feel like sharing you today." As smooth as silk, as expected from the resident lady killer.

"Ah, er, sure." Then I-pin reluctantly handed over the ice pack to the injured guardian. "Ah, Hibari-san, since your fracture isn't that bad, I'll just give you some pain killers, okay?"

Hibari hadn't failed to notice the blush on her cheeks and the fluttering of her lashes. So it was this weak herbivore for his rival. Although the stoic guardian simply nodded, his own thoughts clamored in his head in contrast. _'It's not okay! You still have to take care of me!'_ And he was killing Lambo in his mind space.

A few minutes after I-pin and Lambo had left, Yamamoto peeked into the room to see a sullen Hibari. He laughed, "So much for getting your chance!" he teased as he turned the chair and sat on it facing the backrest.

"Shut up herbivore," hissed Hibari. Not only was his injury hurting, his delicate heart too.

"Hibari-san, just tell her upfront. I'm sure I-pin still likes you," said the swordsman with such ease, as if it was the most proven theory of physics.

Hibari removed the wretched cold pack. It didn't help alleviate his current pain. "What the hell are you encouraging me for?" But Yamamoto replaces the cold thing over his injury; both the surprising cold and pain jerking the Cloud guardians body away. "What the hell!?"

"We're pals! Besides, I want to win a bet!" The overly happy Mafioso winked. Needless to say, he made the apathetic man disgusted. The last thing Hibari needed was rumors circling the base, about him being gay.

He took back the ice pack and placed it gently on him, "You bastard…"

"Hey, take it easy! I bet on you to confess first! Everyone believes you're chickening out! Except for me, of course." With a toothy grin the Rain Guardian leaned back on his seat with a thumbs-up.

Hibari looked at him, disbelieving. "What?" He was practically giving him a chance to change what he just said but as things stand, there is a more urgent issue at hand, _'Everyone?'_

"So I'll be rooting for you, pal!"

"We're not pals. Go away."

"Sure, sure. Do your best, okay?"

Hibari was back into punishing the punching bag the next day after having the stupid Sun guardian regenerate his fracture. I-pin, too, was meaning to train to catch up for the miss yesterday. Thus the two met up in the gym, unwary of the spying eyes on them.

Concerned for the wellbeing of her comrade, I-pin put herself between the male and the beaten bag, "Hibari-san! You shouldn't be working out yet!"

"I had Sasagawa use his flames," was his short reply. He was keeping it short for the sake of keeping it short. His tongue might slip and ruin everything.

"But still!" She kept on blocking the punching bag. "Just because you could heal yourself like that doesn't mean you can go ahead and rake in some injuries!"

_'Actually, that's a pretty good idea!'_ thought Hibari. It was the easiest excuse to be near her after all. _'You don't know how much torture it is controlling myself.'_

Still, the young woman stayed in her position, unwavering, wanting Hibari to swear not to be reckless. He found it endearing and cute, and it was one of his reasons to like her. And the fact that she will hurt you herself if you try to throw away your life is infinitely sweet.

Giving up on the punching bag, Hibari resorted to guilt-tripping, "Who was it who broke my ribs anyway?" Hibari crossed his arms. Although he really doesn't mind getting broken ribs over some attention from I-pin. "Wasn't it you?"

"I… I'm sorry! But you were gonna sucker-punch Yamamoto-san!"

"It's none of your concern whom I want to punch."

"Yes, it is!"

Hibari smirked. Rocking on his heel, he waited for the flustered young doctor to give a counter-argument and she was coming on slow,

"I mean… I mean, it's really hard taking care of everyone! Why don't you just be a good boy!?"

"What would be my reward if I behaved?"

"Um… free ramen?" Her voice was so tiny it was close to a squeak.

"I'm not that cheap." The man looked sideways; it was too hard not to squee at her cute antics, fiddling with her fingers. "Well?"

I-pin avoided looking at him, too. And for some reason, heat was beginning to flow into her cheeks, "H-How about a—"

"Hey there, you two!" Yamamoto chimed in. "Hey Hibari-san, you feeling better?" He had a wooden sword in hand. It seems he was really there for some training and not just spying on the two of them.

If Hibari wasn't happy to see him, at least I-pin was, "Yamamoto-san!" Her enthusiasm didn't register well with the Cloud though.

_'Damn it, Yamamoto! Of all times, now!?'_ Hibari clicked his tongue. "I feel a lot worse after seeing your face."

"Haha, don't be so grumpy." The always smiling young man then looked at the other two, assessing them. "I know! Why don't the two of you fight me?"

Hibari eyed him like he was the most retarded person he ever met, "Are you serious? On my own I can destroy you. Though I admire your confidence." And yet the stronger man raised his fists. Fighting unarmed is the fundaments of fighting with tonfa, so he could brush up some basics. Not to mention he'd really like to try some bare-handed swordgrasp.

"What? This ain't confidence! Haha just thought it would be fun to see the two of you cooperate." Yamamoto winked again but aimed it at I-pin, who blushed furiously. Aside from Lambo, the baseball player happens to be a true ladies' man. He then raised his wooden sword in his right and procured another three shorter ones in his left; he was going all out.

"Now that I think about it…" I-pin raised her eyes to look at the stoic guardian. They never did fight together. That was because he was always pissed at her. "But Hibari-san doesn't like fighting together!" She countered after much thought.

Before she knew it, she has been pulled into a sparring match against Yamamoto.

I-pin panted. Although she works as a reconnaissance unit for the Vongola once in a while, trying to keep up with the two guardians was very difficult. Hibari was being all over the place like he was some kind of ninja while Yamamoto was using the surrounding exercise equipment as barriers for all his blind spots.

Teaming up with Hibari was easy. All she had to do was time her attacks and execute it before or after his. Or just plain distract Yamamoto. So far the two of them had been having a good time beating the crap out of the swordsman, who gave up after Hibari had toppled down the heaviest equipment that there is in the room.

"Hibari-san," the swordsman started, "Did you really have to kick it down?"

"Yeah. You were being annoying running around and shielding yourself," said Hibari as he flapped the lower bottom of his shirt to somehow relieve him from the heat. "I wanted to bury you underneath it. Too bad you're too quick," then pouted.

Yamamoto furrowed his brows but still with a smile on his face, he commented on the morbid attitude of their comrade, "You do realize you just tried to kill me."

Hibari nodded nonchalantly.

"Well, I'd better get going before Hibari-san kills me for realz," and he was gone in thirty seconds, leaving them in their own reverie inside the gym.

The young woman looked up at Hibari's broad back. It's been a while since she had been that close to a battle-crazed President. Without warning, she grabbed the tail of his shirt, "Hibari-san…" and the man looked over his shoulder and saw a very shy I-pin peeking through her lashes.

"Y-yeah?" He slowly turned with her hand still grasping tightly, ending up with both of them extremely close to each other.

And her other hand grabbed on to the other side of his shirt, "Hibari-san…"

"Yes?"

"I-pin!" called someone from behind the door. "Are you there?" The interloper was the Thunder Guardian. Again.

_'What the hell is it with him!?'_ He grumbled beneath his breath, inaudible to his companion, "Damn."

The young woman looked frustrated as she stared at the closed door; her hands still holding on to Hibari's clothes, making the man more than satisfied with himself. She donned a very sour pout on her lips, too. _'Was she sharing my sentiments? Yes!'_

"Why is this door locked!?" shouted Lambo as he struggled with the said locked door. "I-pin! I-pin!"

Hibari wondered about it, "It's… locked?" It was Yamamoto's doing no doubt, saying that he's cheering for him to confess._ 'No way! Not here! Not when that stupid cow is hammering at the door.'_ Still, I-pin held on to him as if Lambo was an enemy who has been chasing them all this way.

"I-pin?"

It was the wrongest move he could have done. Upon his prompt the young woman woke from her daze and let go of him to reach the door and unlock it. Before she left, she had a wistful smile on her lips.

"Damn it!"

* * *

"I gave you that chance, man! Why didn't you take it?" Yamamoto huffed as he sat beside a frustrated Cloud guardian.

"Why don't you confess to her if you're that excited about it?" Hibari bit back. What he does not know is that his words did really bite the Rain guardian, the latter smiling the same smile that I-pin had when she left the gym. 'What's with that? I-pin smiled the same before…' was his thought as he stared curiously at the Rain guardian.

"What?" Yamamoto was clueless.

"Nothing. Go away. You're crowding me."

"Come on, Hibari-san! Just tell her!"

"What the hell!? Why don't you tell her you love her?!"

"I already did! She said you're the one she loves!" Too late. One moment too late as Yamamoto bit his tongue. Both of them were dumbstruck. "Er…"

"What the actual fuck?" The Cloud guardian loomed maliciously, his words slow and menacing. "Cheering me on, my ass…" But in a blink of an eye, his left arm flew and plunked to the tiled floor of the headquarters. Hibari was surprised when he looked at his left arm and saw it like a stump, bleeding like hell.

He had been in the influence of the Rain flames all that time.

Yamamoto's smile was grim. "Don't worry, Hibari-san. This way you could take I-pin's attention all for yourself…" He raised the point of his blade again, "Don't worry. It'll be painless."

Now Hibari has more reasons to worry. With what was left of his arms, the Cloud guardian fought off the axe-crazy Yamamoto. He grabbed his cut off arm from the floor and dashed off. As much as he hated it, he ended up running around holding on to his dismembered arm, trying to find the elusive clinic.

_'Why the damn hell am I running around? And what the hell is going on? What the hell's wrong with the Rain?'_

Everything seemed to slow down and the halls seemed to stretch. The clinic was the door to the right but he could never reach it. "Damn it, Yamamoto! Stop doing a horror movie on me!" and he felt something hit his head and he blacked out.

He awoke with a jolt.

Hibari's eyes scanned the apparent ceiling. The walls were off-white and familiar; the scent of disinfectant was unmistakable. He was in the clinic for some reason. That was when it struck him, _'Don't tell me that wasn't a dream!?'_ he said as he got up quickly, ruffling the sheets off of him. He felt his left arm; it was intact. "A dream!?"

But it felt really real.

A hand was over his shoulder and he couldn't help but flinch, "Hibari-san, what's wrong?" Worried, young I-pin took a seat on his bedside, her features genuinely concerned. "Is everything alright? Does your head still hurt?"

_'Head?' _His head and nape does feel stiff.

"Hibari-san?" Getting more worried, the young woman placed her hands on his cheeks, focusing his sight on her face. "Can you hear me?"

"Head?"

"Yes, Hibari-san. You slipped on your way out of the gym and hit your head!"

"I hit my head? No one hit me on my head?"

"No one. Why would anyone want to hit you anyway? They'd be asking for a death wish!"

Hibari soon calmed down; I-pin wiped away the cold sweat off his forehead with a soft towel.

"I'm glad you're alright… I was really worried," she said as she patted his face dry.

The Cloud guardian then closed his eyes, trying his best to remember what happened when he got out of the gym. For some reason, all he can remember is his damned, freaky dream. "Who found me?" he exhaled tiredly.

"Tsuna-san did."

Completely calm, the normally apathetic man raised his eyes to meet her worried ones. Hibari's eyes trailed down, from her nose to her lips, eliciting a sigh, "I thought you ought to know… How much I…" How much he wanted to taste them.

"Hibari-san…" She whispered as their lips came to a close. After a few seconds, they part, both red faced, both wanting to do it again and again and again. "Hiba—" The man then silenced her with another kiss.

"It's Kyoya." And then another kiss, "Say my name… I-pin…" Their foreheads touched softly and he had his eyes closed. The subtraction of a sense strengthened his other senses.

"K-Kyoya…" Her voice reached his ears and his hair stood on its ends. Something very hot boiled inside him and if they kept at it, he won't be able to hold it in.

"I'll reward you since you did so well…" and he did as he said, kissing and entangling tongues with her, the young woman completely melting under his touch, overwhelmed by her senses.

But she pushed him away. Hurt, she stood up and moved away quick, "No…"

"What?"

"No, no, no, no! We can't!" I-pin was suddenly frantic. "I can't! Not with a man who doesn't…"

"Who doesn't…?" Hibari asked innocently. But the young woman never answered him.

Getting tired of her silence and annoyed at her distance, he finally brings up his earlier freaky dream, "I had a dream just now… where Yamamoto killed me."

Finally she turned, "What?"

"Do you want to know why?" She did not answer again but Hibari continued nonetheless. "It's because we, you," he pointed at her, eyes ablaze with intense passion. Then he pointed to himself, not losing the eye contact, "and me, are in love."

The rosiness she had in her cheeks returned. But her response was nothing but an "It's absurd."

Yet the man was not going to accept that, nor would he let it all just all apart because they haven't spoken their real feelings. "Yeah, it is. The dream, I mean."

"Eh?"

"I-pin, do you think me being in love with you is absurd?"

She turned her back again. "Well… Because it's Hibari-san… that's why I think it's impossible…"

_'So she really thinks I'm that heartless… I guess I never really told her anything…'_ Hibari sighed. The bets have been set high and he did not plan on losing. "Really? Then what should I do to prove to you how much I love you?"

* * *

Hibari is thirty if you guys are wondering.

There you have it. Thank you for reading up to this point. See ya later!

I do not own KHR or any of its characters.

Please leave a review.


	9. 181: Pregnancy Dilemmas

**181: Pregnancy Dilemmas**

"Ugh!" I-pin crinkled her nose in disgust while she fanned at the wind that so assaulted her sensitive nose. Her husband who was only a few inches away to her side was clearly offended. He had just taken a bath. Maybe not "just", about some three hours ago and he had not done any strenuous activities. How he could have been stinky, he had no idea.

Still, the young wife did not stop her exaggerated motions. To further infuriate her husband, the pregnant young woman backed away and her face was that of distaste. "Kyo-san, you st—"

Kyoya kept a straight face, believing that it was just the pregnancy talking, and it is. Expecting something to happen and he was quick to react, the man easily pulled the emergency puke bin from beside him. His other quick hand was to her back as I-pin lurched forward.

Poor woman, vomiting the last of her lunch. She was visibly tired when she pulled back, though her voice was not. "This is your fault! Why can't you be the one who's pregnant?" said she in her exhausted fury.

The husband had no answer, left to his silence as he passed a glass of water after he had gingerly wiped away the acrid smears on the sides of I-pin's lips. His lack of answer brings another knot to the young woman's brows. Although Kyoya still held his tongue.

First, the answer was because he was a man. Men cannot bear children. Second, it was his nature to be quiet. To be honest, if he knew that pregnancy would be such a disaster, he would not wish it. Not only is he sexually frustrated, but the recent irritability and puking of his wife was starting to get to him. He still has a full seven months ahead. Seven months of pure horror.

And to that, he's been drinking himself to stupor almost every night. At least he would really stink if she smells him.

"I tell ya," began Kyoya, his eyelids barely covering his eyes, "I'm tired of smelling all that puke!" He had just gotten over another important meeting and now that it was over, he was holed in his office, a bottle of vodka like a baby in his arm. The boss, Tsuna, was not very happy about it and he was not letting a rabid, and tipsy, Cloud Guardian have a chance of ruining their pristine HQ. So a pacifier was sent.

It was hard deciding who was going to be the sacrificial lamb as Kusakabe was not going to tell his boss what to do, nor does he have the strength to back up his words. It's also good to note that Hibari does not follow orders from people he deems weaker than him.

The Vice-president was quickly crossed out. Gokudera and Ryohei were a no-go. Lambo was too scared. Mukuro would cause a war to erupt. Chrome would be hand-waved. Reborn shot him. So, the boss was left with the Rain. He hoped that the rain flame attribute actually does what's said on the tin: calm down the raging terror. Hence Yamamoto's presence in the president's office.

The Rain was impressed that his fellow guardian was still up. He also cannot stop himself from rubbing the issue in, "I'm glad my wife isn't like that!" The man laughed as he took a swig that was meant for the drunk guardian. Never had he regretted anything more than what he just did. "Gawds, just how strong is that? Is it supposed to do that?" His voice was raspy and he couldn't stop running his hand over his burning throat.

Not only is vodka bitter and somewhat foul-smelling, it was also like battery acid against a virgin throat, innuendos aside. The burning heat that soon blooms in the stomach will surely unsettle the inexperienced. So much for trying to be a drinking buddy.

"Can't handle it? Go home!" Hibari said, pointedly mocking the other man. But he was met with a laugh. Still the Cloud Guardian poured another shot of vodka, steeling his innards for the heated fluid. The other guardian stops him from downing the drink though,

"Hibari-san… I-pin-chan would be worried if you keep on drinking like this." Yamamoto chided the other man and took the shot glass away. Inciting the name of the Cloud's wife in the same sentence with the word _worry_ quickly shuts off the raging terror, and he was nothing but a limp body against the swiveling chair.

Then, almost comedic, Hibari begins to sob in his drunken state, "You don't know how it feelsh… I get pushed away by my own wife!" His large hands covered his tear-streaked face and his small sobs echo in the quietness of the night. All this while Yamamoto stifled a laugh. "She used to hug me when we slept! Now I sleep so far you could put another futon between us…"

The younger man was holding up his cellphone, recording the whole embarrassing scene. Of course he would regret it if it spreads and the Cloud hears of his mischievous deed. That is, if the Cloud _knows_. He wagered against it anyway. "Hibari-san," Yamamoto spoke, still trying to keep his laughs in, "You're so wasted right now. What is it that you'd really like to do right now?" He took note of the other guardian's body language so he could quickly hide the gadget away.

Yet the sobbing man kept his hands to his face. Self-deprecating, self-pitying and self-wallowing in despair, the man sobs uncontrollably into his hands, "I wanna hug my wife!" Over and over he chanted.

"What was that? I can't hear you through your hands!" Yamamoto goaded. His cellphone hovered closer for a clearer audio capture. "What did you want to do?" For him it was the pinnacle of courage and nothing made him itch more than a fun game. A game where he could lose his life.

"I said I wanna hug my wife!" screamed Hibari as he bent forward from his repose on the chair. His forehead hit the table after his cry, sending him to dreamland.

Still holding up the camera, Yamamoto guffawed to the point that his sides were stinging and he was breathless and tears lined his eyes. This would be the branch point of their amicable relationship. Either Hibari kills him or this incident makes them friends. "This is… This is… Wait till they… see this!" And he continued laughing as he walked to the unconscious guardian's side. He was breathing, alright. He huffed, "I thought you died," then he pulled the man back to the backrest of the chair. It would be a more comfortable sleep that way.

Hibari woke to the sound of his phone ringing. He didn't answer right away. Instead he looked at the clock. It registered three in the afternoon. He didn't care. Returning to his sleep without rejecting the call, the ringtone just got louder and louder until it finally got him to pick up the call, "What the he—"

"Shut up, you useless man!" shouted the woman on the other line. It baffled Hibari.

_Who could that be?_ So he checked the screen: **Mom**. _Oh shit_. He shot up from where he slept, the couch in his office, and frantically answered to the cursing woman on the line, "Yeah, Mother, what is it?"

"Where are you!? I-pin's about to give birth! Get your ass here this instant!" screamed his mother and he could also hear the shuffling of many people. They were also screaming wildly.

"Hey you, ready the car!" This was his father.

"Get madam into the car, quick!" This would have to be Kusakabe.

"There's blood!" He heard I-pin shout. And it made his blood boil. It shook him. It rendered him motionless.

_What's going on? Will she be alright? Will the babies be alright?_

Only the voice of his mother brought him back to the present. "Clean it!"

"Kyoya!" The scream was more than enough to make Hibari pull the phone from his ear. She wasn't in pain that much he can tell. More like angry. "The babies are coming!"

"Kyoya, you better get your ass moving! Gawds, I didn't give birth like this! Get—" he didn't have to hear the rest of it.

Nine months flew by like a whirlwind and the days of torture has passed for Hibari Kyoya. Not only had his wife overcome a lot of trials in those months, but so did he. It was rewarding in a way.

"Kyo-san… look at them…"

Little faces emerged from under the fluffy wrappings as Kyoya stepped closer to I-pin's bed. At that point, everything seemed to stop. Their sparkly eyes were like jewels on their alabaster faces. The rush of blood on their cheeks and forehead brought life to their doll-like features. Strong eyes, frowning brows and taut lips. They were just born and anyone who were to look at them would be able to say that they were his.

"Kyo-san, since you've been stubbly lately you can't kiss their little faces," I-pin reminded the dumbfounded husband. One could say that she was reprimanding him for neglecting his hygiene. But I-pin was not a sadist. "But you can kiss their little heads," she said.

The husband did as he was told, lingering a few moments on each of the twins and as gentle as possible. He sat by the edge of the bed, offering a caressing finger. His heart raced when he felt the heat on his skin as they touched. They were so tiny that Hibari was afraid that they would break under his finger. When he looked at I-pin, the woman could barely keep her laughter in.

"What is it with that face, Kyo-san?" she asked as she lightly rocked the babies in her arms. "I know, why don't you carry one of them?" She then offered the older twin. "Take him. Carry Kirio first."

"How?"

Guiding him was her soft voice and Hibari Kyoya was finally able to cradle his first son in his arms. It was soft and pink and small and it held his breath. It stared at him with those lifeless orbs that held so much potential. Soon, it will burst with life—laughing, crying, and glaring, all the same. This will be his heir.

"I-pin," called the man as he held his child. "Would I make a good father?"

"Yes, an overprotective one at that!" And I-pin turned his face towards her and gave him a kiss.

Without looking away, Hibari confessed his feelings one more time, "I love you."

Heat coursed through I-pin's cheeks and his words incited a feeling so strong that it felt like it was the first time she felt it inside her chest. Hibari Kyoya was always straightforward. And she loved that along with the other things that she has grown to love in him.

"I love you, too." Then she giggled at his expense, "Makes that embarrassing incident worth while, don't you think?"

Hibari Kyoya swore that he'd kill Yamamoto Takeshi and all his descendants if ever that one video spreads.


	10. 181: Anything for your smile

I'm back with something. My job kept me busy and practically unable to write with all the mental burdens it gave me. Anyway, please do enjoy!

Summary: When a big tragedy hits the Vongola family, Hibari Kyoya is again wracking his brain for something to smoke out the perpetrator. But as things stand, there are other things that need to be taken care of, like the well-being of those around him. He soon finds himself accompanying a friend for a drink, and reevaluating his past actions and feelings.

WARNING: Boring as hell.

* * *

**181: The small things I'd do for your smile**

Tsuna was dead, that much Kyoya had gathered from the hesitation that Dino's son showed. The little details of the death did not matter as there are other things that he should be more concerned with, like what's going to happen to the eleventh generation when there is an obvious lack of a presiding Papa. CEDEF would take care of it, no, he'd like CEDEF to take care of it; he didn't want any part of determining who was going to be the next boss. But with the Tenth already dead, along with the Ninth, the ceremony is pretty much in their hands—the tenth generation guardians.

The summer heat was getting on his nerves too. Not the cold drink nor the AC could cool him off. It was like he was a bomb waiting to explode and incinerate everything in sight. His patience, not that it was ever long, was as short as a matchstick and boy was it dry! The slightest heat would set it aflame.

It all suddenly made sense—the guardians' hesitation, the ring battles… He's been away from the Italian affairs and without somebody to keep the order, it all goes haywire in a blink of an eye. But he remembered why he was away for such a long time.

His wife entered the room; her impeccable grace and beauty eclipsed her obvious exhaustion and sadness. She had been mourning the death of her adoptive brother. The dark rings under her eyes were too evident. Her eyes are red and puffy. Her silent sobs unnerving at night. And it kept him up till the break of dawn.

Should he do that time travel thing again? Of course the enemies know of that path. That was the path that led to their current present. And their younger selves would be incapable of doing anything, aside from having the Vongola rings. But the enemies now have those in their hands after winning the Ring Battles against Gino Cavallone's group. The enemies. The crafty bastard has yet to be exposed. Kyoya knew it would be hard to do so. There was little to no proof. Or what was left of it was conveniently destroyed. Kyoya grit his teeth.

"Kyo-san…" Her voice was like the cold wind, soft and relieving to what heat he felt. And yet, to his cloudy disposition, she was like the hot and bright sun that he so wanted to keep to himself. Kyoya clearly did not like seeing I-pin sad, especially thinking of another man, even if that man was her brother. He is selfish, yes, and that was the reason why the woman was there beside him. "The recon team has arrived with intel. Long Qiu is waiting for you."

Ah, Long Qiu. The _brother_ that was trained by the Arcobaleno a few years before young I-pin found her way to Fon's door. He used to be an excellent saboteur and assassin, but now he functions as a maintainer of the Hibari clan's info network. Says he's way too old for vigorous jobs. And here we have a fifty-something Kyoya who brandishes his tonfa whenever he gets the chance. Long Qiu sucks at making up reasons.

Either way, the ageing Hibari stood from his seat on the zabuton and leaves the peaceful sight of their massive garden to meet with their info man. Deep within the Japanese manse he owns, its security assured by many skilled assassins and guards he and his wife hand trained, there was no way others would know what he'd know from Long Qiu. Unless he wasn't the real Long Qiu. Or the info he was about to hear had been passed around already. And Kyoya doesn't like that. Still the Chinese man was trust worthy.

"Brother," Kyoya called as he got in. His seat was awaiting him and so was the brother who was polishing a katana. "I do hope you're the real brother."

The lanky man stood; his dark, half-lidded eyes gazed through his fringes. "Silly. Why don't you see it for yourself, hm?" Then the Chinese man sheathed the curved blade. His dominant hand hovered lightly over its hilt, ready to pull it in a blink of an eye.

So he did, the tip of the blade scraping Kyoya's tonfa that had blocked in the nick of time. As if nothing happened, Long Qiu's stretched form pulled back like a spring and his blade was back to its sheath like it was never out to begin with. Simply with such an act did Kyoya knew that it was the real Long Qiu.

Satisfied, Hibari took the seat opposite the Chinese. "So?"

"Tsuna of the Vongola is dead, alright." The Chinese sat down as well. The sharp katana he used now sat on his lap as his legs crossed regally.

And to the news, Hibari reacted hastily, "The body? Where is it?"

"Gianini keeps it frozen. Although there is no real way to know if it's the real thing. You should have heard from Kusakabe-san that it's off limits."

"Who killed him?"

"More like what killed him. There are no leads as to who killed him. Everyone thinks it was suicide." That much Hibari thought. With the technology the Vongola holds, even a mook can kill the strongest guy; all he needed is a smart head atop his shoulders. The Vongola tend to be lax as well. A lot of things could happen in a group as big as theirs and the perp could easily get away with it. Not to mention that Tsuna is too trusting of others.

Long Qiu smiled as he gazed at the other man's knotted brows. To him, it was a surprise to even see the apathetic man worrying over a trivial matter such as the death of a _Papa._ A head figure that the famous solitary Cloud doesn't even want to associate with. Clearly it was for his wife, I-pin, that he's trying his best to resolve the matter. "But I guess you're with that kid, eh?"

Then the Chinese man pushed a thick envelope over to Kyoya's side of the table. The yakuza head eyed it questioningly. Not even the most trusted info man can resist the wiles of money and power. Or women. Or jealousy for that matter. Kyoya is just lucky that the man in front of him has unwavering loyalty to I-pin as a brother and servant. And that he is far stronger than this info man. It was a good thing that his wife has no taste for weaker men.

That aside, the envelope was safe of any toxic materials. As Hibari opened the darned thing and perused its contents, the Chinese's eyes seemed to glitter in anticipation.

"Gino Cavallone aka the Bucking Foal. He thinks he knows who killed Tsuna and how it was perpetrated." His words were more than enough to catch the other man off guard. But not enough to make any reaction that he would have deemed interesting.

Kyoya simpered, "You sure know much. As expected of you."

"It's easy really." Very easy if the person you're investigating is a close associate. That child was no less of a son to the Hibari patriarch even though the latter doesn't want to admit it. Still, Long Qiu's knowing smile passed by unnoticed by the busy guardian.

"So, what does that kid think?" said Kyoya as he closely looked at the photos that captured the moment when Tsuna's body was taken from the Italian office. Anyone could be inside that bag. Or so Hibari prayed. That it was somebody else and it was just a ruse.

The Chinese sighed, "How should I know? I haven't heard him tell anyone." By heard he meant tens of his men who are scattered all around ready to take what info they can get. "It should be you who knows. He's almost like your child."

"I don't remember siring a herbivore." Again, his attention was fully on the documents that the Chinese gave. There was a picture of everyone who took care of the body and the crime scene. Random scenes, uncensored, flashed before his eyes as he flicked through everything. Then there came a picture of a young boy with a face too much like Tsuna's. But he wasn't Tsuna. He didn't have the airheaded feel. Through the years Kyoya had spent nannying most of the Vongola children, he knew with a single glimpse. And he didn't like it that this boy's picture was amongst the gathered information.

Long Qiu then picks up the pictures that the Cloud Guardian has left on the table. Multiple angles of the Eleventh child as he stood outside the Papa's office after the crime scene was cleaned. "You know, you raised some frightening children."

"Keep an eye on the kids."

"No need to tell me. I'm already on it."

Their meeting adjourned. Both men stood from their seats. The gathered documents were thrown into the convenient mini-incinerator that Kyoya commissioned to be built in the room. It was for these times that he found it really useful aside from cold days. Everything slowly crackled until they turned to ashes and beyond recognition when they met the fire. Not even the young face of the Eleventh Vongola was spared. Kyoya then looked over his shoulder to inspect what the other man was doing, "I hope you didn't save copies of that."

The Chinese smirked. It was never in his work ethics to save digital copies of everything. Nowadays technology is risky. He might have been a risky man when he was young but not anymore, especially if his boss was known for crushing his enemies to death. But that was him; his men might be different. But not too different to wager their princess to a gruesome death.

"Don't you worry. We don't want to endanger I-pin's life. Her dainty neck is really easy to break if you wanted to."

The Cloud Guardian stayed quiet. Even though his blood was boiling and that he wanted to bite this Chinese to death, he stayed his fangs. But then, you never really think of things until somebody brings them up, causing the ageing man to reevaluate his feelings. Wherever his reputation precedes him, it's always like this. Can't a stalwart man be lonely and seek love and actually find it? On the bright side, these men and women, the recon team, will never think of betraying him. 'So they think I-pin is a hostage.'

"Also, some of the families are moving. Be careful."

"By the way…" spoke Kyoya as he opened the door. "If you get a whiff of that herbivore Yamamoto, tell him everything you've learned so far." The two men then proceed back to the reception room. Long Qiu obviously having a better time,

"I never knew you had friends!" he teased.

"Shut up, in-law. Don't lump me in with those weaklings."

The Chinese man then drew the shoji apart as they arrived, revealing the person that the Cloud was looking for. Surprised, he simply side-stepped to reveal to the Hibari patriarch the sight of the boyish-looking pro-baseball player that had come to visit them.

"Yo!" was Yamamoto's greeting.

Long Qiu bowed, his being a servant of the Yakuza family, seeing that there was a guest. "Guess you don't have to look for him."

Without further ado, Kyoya beckoned the Rain Guardian; his voice reeked of urgency, "Takeshi, I have something to discuss with you."

"Oh, is there?" Yamamoto stood from his seat by the low table. His attention wasn't fully on Kyoya but on the two that have decided to leave them be. His dead serious face took over when I-pin and Long Qiu were out of earshot. "Shoot."

As they were walking back to the secure room, the Cloud Guardian looked over his shoulder to see the lax younger man. He didn't like seeing how his colleague could be this relaxed nor could he understand how he can keep such guise. Nevertheless it was one of the good points of Yamamoto Takeshi; his smile is the best mask that there is and everyone is too busy getting chummy with him to notice what kind of cruel and vile man he really is. 'I'd say he's even better than me in this art…'

"What were you doing here?" Kyoya pointedly asked. What a way to change the subject.

Takeshi laughed. "It's nice that you actually see me as a rival for love…" He said as he draped his arm over Kyoya's shoulders, further infuriating the already annoyed Cloud Guardian. "But is that what you're going to discuss with me?"

Kyoya shook his head. 'Nice way of bringing that up just when everything is already SNAFU.' And he slapped away the other man's arm. Just as before, he thought of trivial things because they were brought up. Now he is utterly confused in reevaluating his feelings. The heart is such a complicated matter.

"Just wanted to see you and I-pin, ya know. Besides, the _earth_ has ears and the news got wings!" He smiled but realized it wasn't appropriate. Both the smile and the idiom. "He's dead, huh?" he was holding it for too long. The moment they went in the office, he let out his desperate voice and tears, wishing that whatever news he heard was just some false, baseless rumor. Yet it was true. "This isn't happening! It's too early… Tsuna…"

This would have been the first time that the Cloud saw the Rain fall to his knees and weep. It is true that Kyoya had cried in front of the other man that one time he was darn wasted and wallowing in self-inflicted despair. But seeing somebody cry for a dead friend scraped at his half-thawed heart.

From the depths of one of his many bookcases, Hibari procured a small bottle of burning liquid—vodka—thumping the heavy bottle on Yamamoto's forehead while the man slouched in his mourning. And there was a crooked smile on his face, "Damn, Kyoya. You do know that alcohol's not good for athletes…"

"It ain't good for anyone…" said Kyoya as he passed the Rain Guardian a shot of the wretched liquid. It was downed. And there were silly expressions on their faces. For how many times that Kyoya had drunk pure vodka, he never got used to its sting. "Figures sake won't do the trick."

Yamamoto laughed. But there wasn't any usual spirit in it.

And back to business they were. "I'm assuming you heard this from one of my men. Yes, he is dead. Or I hope he isn't." Both men agree on the last part. Their shotglasses were filled again. They raised it, clinking the little objects together. For so long that they have been drinking buddies, they have grown used to doing a lot of things. They soon realize that it wasn't a time for a cheers; Yamamoto speaks of it,

"I-pin doesn't look good." Yamamoto gulped down another shot of alcohol and wiped at his lips. His eyes were reddened by his earlier crying and there were black bags under his eyes. The news didn't make him happy, that's for sure.

"That's rich coming from you." Kyoya backed off. There was no sense in getting drunk early on. "That's why I want to get to the bottom of this. At least, we get to see some heads roll and fill out the hollow that Tsuna's passing left."

Takeshi knew. He knew that Kyoya was least affected, but not happy about the death, amongst the guardians. But if there is anyone who can push him to do something about it, there is only the wife. "You sure do love I-pin, don't you?" He smiled as he put off the drinking for a moment and slowly relaxed into his comfy seat, a chair most probably chosen by I-pin.

"I don't know if you're blind or dense or what, but… yeah." And it brings up another awful memory, "Damn, everyone thinks that she's my prisoner." He then pours another shot out of anger.

"Well, is she?"

Is she, Kyoya internally asked himself. I-pin is the greatest female assassin that there ever was, which would mean she was a very good actress. Faking a smile would have been a piece of a cake… A very sad and intriguing thought. "Your ex-wife, how is she?"

Takeshi laughed, nervous. "Man, you really know how to shut up others!" Then there was quite a long pause to him as he scratched at his nape, obviously thinking of the right words to say. He finds them anyway, "She's fine. Angry at me, as usual. If you're gonna ask about the kids, Ken and Ami are both fine. Not that I don't see them." He laughs again but with his usual spirit. "It's funny that it's you who has a better marriage. Even if you were totally clueless at the beginning." The irony.

"That's because I-pin is the only woman I love."

"You just had to bring that up, don't you?"

"You're the one who started it. Besides, women can be nutcracks at times. Even I-pin has those moments. Last time she was batshit crazy when she remembered that Kirio destroyed some fusuma, said 'Why didn't you stop him? You were there, right? I know you like seeing our kids fight but don't let them ruin the house! Gawds, Kyoya. You can be an airhead at times!'" Kyoya shook his head upon the memory of a furious I-pin.

"Must be hard for you now that she barely talks."

The Cloud Guardian agreed. But there is something that the Rain should know, a very important thing that he had to say after such a long preamble, "What I'm saying here is your woman is most likely the same. She remembers a lot of things; things that you've probably handwaved and forgotten. But to her it's important. It's important to remember things about your loved ones. Big points for the tiniest of details." His eyes then looked straight at the man in front of him. The sudden change in his expression, from joking to serious, made Takeshi jolt upright. "And she remembers the time that you mistakenly confessed to I-pin when you were in a drunken state."

Yamamoto Takeshi paled. Not even the recent blood flow to his cheeks, brought by alcohol, could stay. Embarrassed was an understatement. "Even you remember that small thing."

"Gawds, Takeshi!" Kyoya thunked the bottle of vodka against the table in disagreement. "It ain't small. That's my woman. My woman. Ain't nobody be touching my woman!" And he downed the drink that he recently poured.

"If you keep on speaking that way, you'll make me laugh." Well, Takeshi was scared. His statement was just a way to ignore the threat. Imagine, he is in the house of the man whom he angered because he mistook the man's wife as his, all because he was drunk. Not to mention that this man he angered is probably one of the most unforgiving guys there is on the planet. Yamamoto Takeshi is lucky this time though,

"I-pin's rubbed off a lot of good things on me. Like acquainting with herbivores, then calling them friends when I'm all alone, like a real tsundere." Kyoya smiled, totally undignified by what he admitted. Anything for I-pin, so he says.

"You two are just like Tsuna… Tsuna saved me before. I was about to jump off NamiChuu's rooftop back then." But Tsuna's dead now.

"If you did it back then, I would have beaten the shit out of your corpse for littering itself and dirtying the premises."

"Heh, that's true."

"Just don't kill yourself yet. We still have to kill the bastard who caused this mess. And you're gonna give him the last blow."

"Thanks man."

Kyoya crossed his arms over his chest, like a real tsundere. "Don't get me wrong though. I'm doing all this for I-pin. If you walk away from our house with a smile on your face, I'm sure I-pin would be happy, even a little would be fine for me."

"I have I-pin to thank then. But you know... I never thought that you could be romantically inclined!"

"Shut up." Kyoya would really like to say not to use those words, Takeshi's last sentence. They were reserved only for his wife to say, no exceptions. But a knock on the door alerted them both and I-pin's voice came through,

"Takeshi-san, your kids are here to pick you up!"

It didn't take a second for the man to come jumping out the open door, teary-eyed and happy. "Really, they came to pick me up?" His kids are the silver-lining to his wrecked life. And he went running through the halls, passing by I-pin like a gust of wind. But he returned a few seconds after, "Eh… Where are they anyway?"

Both I-pin and Kyoya smile at his antics.

"Dad! You reek of alcohol! Don't come near me! Ugh you stink!" Ami, Takeshi's idol daughter, screamed as her father tried to hug her. She continued to push her doting father away. "And why are you here of all places? Really, that's why Mom thinks you cheated," placating the man.

YamaKen was the next to reprimand him, "Dad, you know you shouldn't be drinking."

"I'm so happy that my kids are concerned for me!" Tears fell from Takeshi's eyes as he flashed a toothy grin. The kids did not understand and they both think their father was doing his usual stunts but the Hibari couple knew well. "Why don't we go home and have dinner?"

Ami was still angry, "And what are we going to have for dinner when you holed yourself in here?"

"Mom!" another female voice called from somewhere in the manse. She soon arrived, opening the shoji without a care for the world, "I'm home—" The sight of the Yamamoto family in their reception room was a surprise, especially the airhead named YamaKen.

"Oh, hey Ori!" answered the boy, making the girl flush red and hightail him without a word. "Eh?"

"Either way," Kyoya began. "You three should make yourselves scarce before I kick you out of my house," he commanded. And so the three got up and thanked them for their hospitality and were shown their way out by the servants.

The Hibari patriarch took a quick glance to his side and seeing that his wife was visibly happy, he too was happy. Now what's left to do is deal with the culprit.

* * *

**Gino Cavallone** is Dino's second son. He led a group of kids to fight in the Ring Battles, hoping to seize the title of Eleventh, or Neo Secondo, but to no avail. He is currently resting at the Hibari household after being denied return by his father and his brother. He thinks he knows who the perpetrator is but doesn't speak of it with anyone. He is in a relationship with an ex-Cervello though he has Casanova tendencies.

**Long Qiu** is one of Fon's many students. He leads the Hibari clan's assassin group but he has resigned himself to paperwork. He handles Kusakabe Tetsuhiko's training and the Hibari children's safety.

**Yamamoto Ami** is Takeshi's younger child. She is currently unaffiliated with the Mafia and is a teenage idol who is quite famous. She has long, wavy, brown hair and she is very much an Ice Queen. The Vongola kids, even the boys, can't stand her.

**Yamamoto Kenji**, aka **YamaKen,** is Takeshi's son. He is older then Ami and is like a knock-off from Takeshi. He enjoys baseball and is a regular in his school and is the one who visits Takeshi everyday. He is currently unaffiliated with the Mafia or Yakuza, aside from being friends with the Vongola kids.

**Hibari Orihime** is Kyoya's favorite child. She has been spoiled too much by her father, thus she doesn't like it when things don't go her way. Kusakabe Tetsuhiko is mostly responsible for her safety and chastisement when she goes too far with her uproars. Her brothers are highly protective of her.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Um, not sure if traffic stats is accurate, so please leave a review!


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